Law Referee Marciniak Counts Downward The Days To Tallinn Assignment
December 03, 2018
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Wednesday's UEFA Super Cup referee Szymon Marciniak admits that he wasn't the official's best friend when he was a histrion – as well as the Pole says a carmine bill of fare he received 1 24-hour interval genuinely pose him on the path to his electrical current career.
As a combative midfielder for Polish top-flight outfit Wisła Płock, Szymon Marciniak did non cause got the greatest honor for referees yesteryear his ain admission – but a carmine bill of fare dealt out to him 1 24-hour interval was to modify his life as well as laid him off on the road to the European as well as globe refereeing elite.
"I wasn't the easiest histrion yesteryear whatever means," says the 37-year-old Polish check official, who is preparing for his latest major assignment – Wednesday's UEFA Super Cup consider betwixt Real Madrid as well as Atlético de Madrid inwards Tallinn. "I was ambitious, I wanted to win, as well as I used to brand referees' lives really difficult. I complained all the time.
"But as well as then inwards 1 match, the referee sent me off. I didn't concord alongside his decision, of course, as well as I allow him know just what I thought. After the game, I told him that he was 1 of the worst referees that I had ever seen. He replied: 'If y'all recall it's thence easy, y'all essay as well as produce it.' So I did."
He enrolled on a refereeing course of didactics – as well as the residual is history. Marciniak as well as the referee went on to popular off swell friends as well as colleagues. "We used to joke most how I was every bit a player, as well as when I became an international referee, he accompanied me every bit a 4th official at an Under-21 qualifying match. And I e'er told him that he had taken the correct determination when he sent me off! It's a lovely story."
Since then, Marciniak has gone on to referee at the 2018 FIFA World Cup as well as UEFA EURO 2016, every bit good every bit inwards major European social club matches. Last season, he was named every bit the 4th official for the UEFA Europa League in conclusion inwards Lyon, inwards which Atlético defeated Marseille. He was also the 4th official for the 2016 UEFA Super Cup inwards Trondheim, where Real Madrid overcame Sevilla. In 2015, he officiated at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in conclusion betwixt Sweden as well as Portugal.
Marciniak believes his sense every bit a histrion assist him to deal players on the pitch. "Man-management is 1 of the most vital aspects of refereeing," he says. "It's of import that you're able to flora a human relationship alongside players. So if you've played, as well as then y'all cause got an agreement of how players react to situations."
Marciniak is grateful to UEFA for the preparation he received inwards graduating from the UEFA Centre of Refereeing Excellence (CORE) programme inwards 2011 – the same twelvemonth that he became an international referee. "I met closed to swell people, as well as they taught me thence much," he says of his fourth dimension existence primed for his futurity career. "I gained considerable noesis that I've been able to pose into practise along the way."
Five compatriots from Poland volition bring together Marciniak for the Super Cup outing inwards Tallinn - assistant referees Paweł Sokolnicki as well as Tomasz Listkiewicz, additional assistant referees Paweł Raczkowski as well as Tomasz Musiał, as well as reserve official Radosław Siejka. Romania's Ovidiu Haţegan volition serve every bit the 4th official. Marciniak says that the pre-match rituals volition live on no dissimilar to whatever other game.
"We'll cause got closed to music inwards the dressing-room – it particularly helps to popular off along me calm – as well as we'll live on ready, focused as well as concentrated. We'll also ready for the check yesteryear studying the teams' tactics, every bit good every bit the players as well as their characteristics – it's popular off thence of import to know has much every bit y'all tin most teams earlier y'all popular off out on the field."
Marciniak is determined to popular off along his feet on the Earth as well as enjoy every 2nd of his career. "I essay as well as remain the same somebody – y'all cause got to live on yourself," he reflects. "To live on given the peril to cause got accuse of matches similar the Super Cup is a vantage for the hard run as well as sacrifices that y'all brand to accomplish this level. I'm really proud."
And what of the future? "I cause got things 1 at a time," he explains. "You can't await also far ahead. I'm at a skilful refereeing historic menstruation as well as I've straightaway got a lot of sense which I promise volition stand upwards me inwards skilful stead inwards the years to come.
"As someone 1 time told me: 'When you've reached a high level, the hard purpose comes inwards staying there.' Now I'm counting downward the days to the Super Cup – as well as later that, y'all as well as then outset thinking most the adjacent match."